Native Flowers of New Zealand/Plate 24
Common Gentian.
An abundant sub-alpine and alpine plant throughout the whole of the mountain districts of New Zealand, attaining its greatest luxuriance in open grassy flats at elevations of about 3,000 ft. The large white flowers are decidedly handsome, but cannot compare in beauty with the more brilliantly coloured blossoms of some of the European and American species. (Cheeseman). Flowers in February. Lake Rotoiki.
This delicate little plant, with its pure white flowers and pale green leaves, grows principally about Christchurch and the Canterbury province. It is the most beautiful of its tribe and is easy of cultivation. It differs from the English flax plant in being perennial. The flowers vary in size from one-fourth to nearly an inch across. It blossoms in England in the greenhouses in May and June, having a succession of flowers for a great length of time. Hook. Ic. Pl. It flowers in February.
| Linum monogynum Gentiana Saxosa |
Leighton Brothers Lith |
| PLATE 24 | |